Surfactants are widely used to make detergents. Surfactants for detergents generally have a hydrophobic component and a hydrophilic component. The hydrophobic component generally attracts an otherwise water-insoluble material, and the hydrophilic component allows that material to be dispersed in water. The hydrophobic component usually has a hydrocarbon tail for maximum affinity with oils and greases, and the hydrophilic component is usually rich in oxygen, or is ionic for affinity to water molecules.
Components for surfactants are conventionally sourced from the petrochemical industry in the form of linear alkylbenzenes, detergent alcohols, linear alpha olefins, and paraffins. As petrochemical sources rise in cost, and to offset known environmental challenges associated with petrochemical sources in general, surfactants from components sourced from renewable or natural sources are becoming attractive.